Bower f



(No Model.)

'B. P. STIOKLER & PLD. BELL.

POTATO PLANTER.

Patented Feb. 23, 1897'.

I n ven'tols.

W itnesses;

M e -m m A 0,. WASHINGTON. u c.

UNITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

BOWVER F. STIGKLER AND FREDERICK D. BELL, OF HORNELLSVILLE, NEW YORK,ASSIGNORS TO SAID BELL.

POTATO-PLANT ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,810, dated February23, 1897. Application filed September 6, 1895. Serial No. 561,623. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, BOWER F. STICKLER -and FREDERICK D. BELL, citizensof the United States, residing at I-Iornellsville, in the county ofSteuben and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Potato-Planters; and we do declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the letters of reference marked on theaccompanying drawing, which forms a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in potato-planters, and some ofthe objects of our invention are to provide a machine which will openthe row, drop the potatoes singly into said row, and cover up the hillor row at the same time. We attain these objects by means of themechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which is aperspective view of a potato-planting machine provided with ourimprovements.

Similar letters of reference designate like parts. 7

In the drawing the letter A represents the frame orbody of the machine,the front portion of which is open, and to the front bar or headdthereof is secured the tongue or pole at.

B designates the wheels upon which the frame A is mounted, which areprovided, as usual, with an axle b.

C designates a seat suitably secured upon the frame or body, upon whichthe driver or operator sits when using the machine.

D denotes a box or other suitable receptacle supported in a tilted oroblique position by means of legs or braces (Z, secured to the frame orbody A. This box or receptacle D is designed to be filled with potatoesand to act as a receiver therefor, from whence the potatoes may bedistributed to the cups c secured to the belt e by the hand of thedriver; or said box D may be provided with means to automaticallydischarge the potatoes therein into said cups.

E refers to the vertical supports secured to the frame or body A andforming the bearings for the axles 6, upon which the belt-pulleys c andthe drivingpulley, having belt connection with the axle b, are mounted.Upon the pulley-wheels e revolves the endless belt e provided with cupse each of which is adapted to receive a potato or a slice thereof fromthe hand of the driver or directly from the box or receptacle D andconvey the same to a pipe or dropper F, into which each potato isdeposited.

F represents a tube or dropper consisting of a pipe or tube suitablysecured to the frame A and extending obliquely from beneath the cup-beltc to the rear of the former or opener h. This tube or dropper Fincreases in diameter toward the upper end, which is flared outwardly tocatch the potatoes as they drop from the delivering-cups 6 If desired,the said tube or dropper F may be constructed in two parts or sectionsadapted to telescope or slide one within the other, in order that thelower end thereof may be adjusted to any desired distance from theground.

G has reference to a vertical metal or other frame adapted to slidevertically within the slots 1? in the metal plates 1, secured upon theforward portion of the frame A. The lower portion of the frame G isarched in the center at g, and on cit-her side of said arch arehorizontal slots g, and upon the inner sides of the frame G areprojections or teeth.

I-I denotes a cross-piece, preferably of metal, uniting the lowerportion of the arch g and having its ends secured to the frame G bybolts or otherwise. To this cross-piece H is secured the guide-piece h,to which is adjustably secured the opener h, of the usual construction.I

I designates metal plates secured at the front corners of the frame A,which are provided with vertical supports 2', in which are journaled theends of the rod 1', carrying the gear-wheels i which engage the teeth(not shown) upon the inner portion of the side pieces of the frame G.

K indicates a lever pivoted to the frame A at of, one end of which isprovided with a handle 7tand the other end having a segmentrack K, whichengages the Wheel i whereby the frame G can be elevated or depressed, asdesired.

L denotes horizontal rods or bars having concave depressions midway oftheir length, in which is a horizontal slot, through which passes abolt, whereby the concave sheetmetal wings Z are adjustably secured.These rods or bars L are provided at one end with a slot Z, throughwhich passes an adjustingbolt Z which secures said bars L to the U-shaped guides Z which are adj ustably secured to the lower portion ofthe frame G by bolts Z passing through the slots g therein. The oppositeends of the bars L are adjustably supported between the bifurcated endsof the depending rods M by means of the bolts m.

M represents the depending rods, the lower ends of which are bifurcatedto receive the bars L, and the upper ends are pivotally secured to theunder side of the frame A, thereby affording to said bars a lateralmotion.

N designates rods connectingthe bars M with the outer ends of the plate0, secured to the tongue or pole a, whereby the draw or pull of thehorses comes directly upon the rods L.

0 denotes a T-shaped plate secured beneath the clamping-piece 0 on thetongue (1, and having abifurcated end adapted to secure the doubletree,which is secured therein by the bolt 0 P refers to a tank or reservoiradapted to contain paris-green or other substance and which is providedwith a sprinkler p, constructed to distribute the contents of said tankupon the potato-plants for the purpose of destroying insects and thelike.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The box D is filled withpotatoes and the machine is then put in motion, whereupon the potatoesare fed from the box D into the cups 6 and are conveyed to the mouth ofthe dropper F, into which they are separately depos ited, whence theyare dropped into the furrow made by the opener h and are covered orhilled by the wings or plates Z. The opener h is capable of verticaladjustment in the guide, and both the opener and the wings or plateslare adapted to be vertically adjusted by raising or lowering the leverK. The bars L are also capable of vertical and horizontal adjustment bymoving the bolts Z Z, and m, passing through the ends of the bars L.

WVe do not confine ourselves to the particular construction orarrangement of the several parts, as the same may be varied withoutdeparting from the invention, and we may change the material of whichthe several parts are made.

We may also provide a transverse metal plate R, to be secured upon therear portion of the frame or body A, and having longitudinal slots 0',through which pass the adj ustingeyebolts S, to which are secured theupper ends of the depending rods M, thus affording rear lateraladjustment of the bars L.

We claim 1. In a machine for planting potatoes, the combination with apair of wings or plates, of mechanism for independently adjusting themvertically and laterally and adjusting mechanism common to both of saidwings or plates.

2. In a potato-planting machine, the combination with an opener, meansfor dropping the potatoes, and concave plates in the rear of the opener,of mechanism for independently adjusting the opener and either of theplates, and mechanism for adjusting said elements simultaneously.

3. In a potato-planting machine, the combination with an opener, dropperand potatoconveying mechanism, of concave plates in the rear of thedropper, mechanism for independently adjusting the plates laterally,

mechanism for independently and vertically adjusting the opener, andmechanism for siin ultaneously vertically adjusting the opener andplates.

4. In apotato-planting machine, the combination with anindependently-adjust-able opener, a dropper and receiver, and means forconveying the potatoes from the receiver to the dropper,vertically-adjustable horizontal bars adj ustably connected throughintermediate mechanism with the opener, and plates or wings carried bysaid bars.

5. In a potato-planting machine, the combination with an adjustableopener, dropper, receiver and a conveying-belt, of belt-actuatingmechanism, independently-adjustable plates designed to hill thepotatoes, and adjusting mechanism common to the opener and plates.

(3. In a potato-planting machine, the combination with an adjustableframe, of an opener ad j ustably carried thereby, a dropper and receiverin the rear of the opener and a conveyer operatively connected with theaxle of the machine, and plates designed to hill the potatoes adjustably supported by the adjustable frame.

7. In a potato-planting machine, the combination with an adjustableframe, of an opener ad justably carried thereon, horizontal barsadjustably connected to the adjustable frame, plates carried bysaidbars, and means for adjusting the adjustable frame.

8. In a potato-plantin g machine, an opener, horizontal bars, adjustableplates or wings secured to said bars for covering the potatoes andconnecting-rods bringing the pull or draw of the horses directly uponframe carrying said bars, as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of twowitnesses.

BOIVER F. STIOKLER. FREDERICK D. BELL.

Witnesses:

O. L. THOMAS, GEO. L. TUBBs.

